Improved miller s stone-staff



S- BARNES.

Millston Dress. I No, 36.444. Patented Sept. 16. 1862.-

l'gy I I a e w I Q mfwesse lr/vew 2-071,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SAMUEL BARNES, OF ROCHESTER, MICHIGAN.

IMPROVED MILLERS STONEn-STAFF.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 36,444, dated September16, 1862.

To aZZ whom it may concern Be it known that I, SAMUEL BARNES, of thevillage of Rochester, in the county of Oakland and State of Michigan,have invented a new and Improved Millers Stone-Staff; and I do herebydeclare that the following is a full and exact description thereof,reference being bad to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters ofreference marked thereon.

A millers stone staff is an instrument or tool used by millers for thepurpose of enabling them to ascertain and mark the uneven surfaces ofthe stones, so that these uneven surfaces may be picked away and theface of the stone made perfectly level, and is ordinarily made wholly ofwood, with a perfectly level or even face. This face is painted over,and while the paint is fresh upon it the staff is passed over thesurface of the stone, marking only the raised spots; but inasmuch as thestones are usually heated from running and wet from frequent washingsduring the process of picking by frequently applying a staff wholly ofwood, the particles of dampness entering the wood cause it to expandmore or less, and the least particle of which may, and often does, giveto the staff some slight curve, expansion, or contraction, and thusrender it wholly unfit for the time being for use.

Now the nature of my invention consists in applying to a wooden face aback, of iron or other metallic or equally firm and inflexible material,and attaching the same firmly by several screws or pins, so as not topenetrate thoroughly to the wooden face, but so as to hold it firmly andprevent this wooden face from either warping,expanding,or contracting.This back of iron is supported by a flange or brace, and

in this back is set an ordinary spirit-level, so

that as the staff is passed over the stone, (and more especially the bedor nether stone,which is fixed,) for the purpose of indicating theraised spots, the operator can at the same time as certain if the faceof the stone is level, or if the setting of the whole stone is level.

Figure 1 is a lateral view of my improvedmillers stone-staff. Letter Ashows the wooden surface or face. Letter B is the iron or other metallicback. Letters 0 O O O is the flange or brace supporting such back.

Fig. 2 is an upper or top view ofmy millers stone-staff, lettered as inFig. 1, with the addition of letter D, which designates the loca tion ofthe spirit-level under a brass plate.

This description is deemed so simple that any other description ordirection how to make and use my improved staff is deemed unnecessary,unless it be to say that the staff should be of the ordinary length ofother staffs, and it is faced and kept faced by the use of the ordinaryproof-staff in the ordinary manner.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is-- The application of a back of iron, or other equally firm andinflexible metal material or substance,to a surface of wood or otherporous material capable of holding paint or other coloring-matter, forthe purpose indicated, without warping, expanding, or contracting, andalso the application of the spirit-level to such instrument, for thepurpose indicated.

SAMUEL BARNES.

Witnesses:

I. L. J oHNsoN, U. SANDT.

